9:1 compression with stock '71 pistons and those heads? How far are they down in the hole? I'm assuming you mean stock Mopar pistons and not aftermarket.

A 440 needs 113 cc above the piston tops to get 9:1. The heads alone could be as big as 93cc. The steel shim head gasket is around 5. That leaves 15cc which means pistons can't be any farther down the hole than 0.062".

I'd go one step smaller on the cam. A friend built a 9.5:1 440 with KB "quench dome" pistons and used the HE1423BL. He loved the combo and it along with all the other work about doubled the mileage and he lost nothing on the bottom end. That seems to be two generations ago in Hughes cams. The closest thing in their catalog is the SEH 1620BL-12. As you are giving specs for a cam not on either list, I think maybe you already have the camshaft and it is in the middle group, part number starting with HEH. If you already have the cam use it, just get it degreed in accurately and expect to lose a little off the bottom end.

When I've been towing, my engines spend quite a bit of time in the 4000rpm range. I think a lot of folks here just think about the off-idle stuff. That I accomplish with gearing. But drop down into Second and it's nice to have a responsive engine, not one that's running out of air at 4500rpm. I drove a 3.08 gear midsize car for a few years with a single plane intake =on a smallblock with no complaints. The Street Dominator should indeed be on your list, as Blazin' Bob says, and also about any older dual plane intake would work. An Edelbrock CH-4B would be good for a starter.

R.